Electrically-propelled vehicle.



110,871,457.' PATBNTBD Nov. 19, 1907. R. THAYER.

' BLEGTRICALLY PROPBLLED VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1907.

YCI.

RUSSELL THAY'ER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PEYNSYLVA NT^ ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1907.

' Application filed April Lb1907- Serial N0. SGSASS.

of the United States #12,449, reissued to Ine February 6th, 1906, fi. e., a vehicle which derives its uiotorcurrent alternately from an external supply system and from a storage battery carried by the vehicle.

In the form of my invention hereinafter described, two Contact. shoes, are suspended from a ,vehicle in such, a manner that they `may be lowered into electrical contact with the tracks of an ordinary street railway and be raised therefrom into idle position, at the will of the operator; the devices supporting said shoes permitting them to reciprocate horizontally, laterally with respect to the ve hiclf` so as to facilitate the retentioniof electr' Jal Contact with said tracks, regardless of deviations of the vehicle therefrom, within the rangefor which the structure is adapted.

Moreover, said supporting devices are so constructed and arranged that the axes of the Contact shoes are maintained parallel with the axes of the'supporting wheels of the vehicle, and said shoes parallel with the tracks; so as to register with the latter, when roquired, When the vehicle is traveling with its supporting wheels parallel with the tracks, regardless of whether saidsup porting wheels are on the tracks or merely adjacent thereto.

My invention comprises thc various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure I, is a fragmentary side elevation of a vehicle conveniently embodying my improvement.

Fig. I1, is a pl..n view vof the mechanism shown in Fig. l.; the outline of the vehicle body being indicated by dotted lines. Fig.

111'., is a larger plan view of one of the parallel link coupling yokes shown in Fig. ll, attached to the axle of the vehicle supporting wheel. Fig. 1V, is a side elevation of said yoke and axle shown in Fig. lll.

.ln said figures; the vehicle body l, is provided with the supporting wheels 2, and axle 3, connected with said body by the springs 4. Said body is provided at its respectively opposite sides with similar bearing brackets i, i'or the rock shaft 7, whose lever arm 8 is eonnected by the rope Q, or other suitable insulator, with the eye 10, of thc contact supporting frame 11. Said frame ll. has the irunnions 12 at its opposite ends with the' flanged contact shoes 125, journalod thereon and arranged to slide upon the tracks 14. Said shoes are preferably of ilatteued ellip tical configuration, :is shown in Fig. I, to afford a more extensive surface for 4contact with the tracks than if circular, but are 'capable of oscillatory movement on said trun nions 12, to ride over any obstruction o'n the tracks. Moreover, when said slices become excessively worn upon one longitudinal contact surface, they may be rotataljily reversed on said lrunnions 12, to present the opposite longitudinal surface in contact with the tracks.

As indicated in l*1 ig. I, the frame 11 is arched between the contact shoes 13 to avoid obstructions on the roa'd bed between the tracks 1l, and is )ivotally secured to the axle 3, by the parel el insulating links 15. Said links comprise respective bars 16, of nonconducting material, for instance, wood, having their rear ends provided with metal clevises 1S, pivoted to the frame 11 at 19 and having their forward ends provided with metal clevises 20, pivoted at 22, to the hinge leaves 23, which are pivoted at 211i, to the cou iling yokes 25, which are rigidly secured on t ie axle 3, by the stud bolts 2G, extending through the plates 27. l

It is to be noted that the pivots 19 and 22, permit the links 15 to carry the frame 11 atcrally, in a horizontal plane, in retain said shoes 13 on respective tracks i4 when the vehicle is traif'ersing a curved portion of Suid tracks, or is slightly digressing therefrom.

Moreover', seid frame may be independently oscillated vertically, with said leaves 23, turningon their pivots 24, to raise said contact slices 13 from engagement with said tracks; by means of said lever arm 8, which is actuated by the hand lever 2S. Said lever 29, is secured on the rock shaft 7, and extends upwardly between the vehicle body 1,

`ing a frame pivoted to said vehicle an 14, but is arranged to be held bly the lug 32,

when shifted to its forward position to uplift said shoes from said rails as shown 1 n dotted lines in Fig. I. Said frame 11, is

provided with the coupling 39, secured be,-YY

neath said eye 10, and provided with the electrical conductor 40, which connects withv said shoes 13.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvidus that various modifications may be made therein without .departing from the essential features of my mventlon.

l. In an electrically propelled vehicle, the combination with means providing an adjustable electrical connection between \the vehicle and a stationary conductor; comprising a frame pivoted to said vehicle and arranged for lateral movement with respect thereto; reversible electrical contacts pivoted on said frame in operative relation with said conductor; and, a rock shaft carried by said vehicle and connected to'withdraw said electrical contacts from said stationaryconductor, substantially as set forth. v

2. In an electrically propelled vehicle, the combination with means providing an adinstable electrical connection between the vehicle and a stationary conductor; comprising a frame pivoted to said vehicle and arranged for lateral movement with respect'to the vehicle links pivotally connecting said frame with the'aXle of said vehicle arranged to maintain said frame arallel therewith; electrical contacts carrie by said frame in operative relation with said conductor; and, a rock shaft carried by said vehicle andconnected1 to withdraw said electrical contacts from said stationary conductor, substantially as set forth.

3. In an electrically propelled vehicle, the, combination with means providing an adjustable electrical connection between the. vehicle and a stationary conductor; comprisarranged for lateral movement with respect to the vehicle; links compri-zing vbars of noneonducting material provided at their opposite ends with clevises pivotally connecting said frame with the axle of said vehicle and arranged to maintain said l frame parallel therewith; electrical contacts carried by said frame in operative relation with said conductor; and, a rock shaft carried by said vehicle and connected to withdraw said electrical contacts from said stationary conductor, substantially as set forth.

4. In an electrically propelled vehicle, the A combination with means providing an ad# justable electrical connection between the vehicle and a stationary conductor; comprising a frame; electrical contacts carried by said frame; a yoke secured tothe axle of said vehicle; a leaf hinged to said yoke., having its axis parallel with said axle g and links pivotally connecting said frame and said leaf, arranged to swing in planes radial with respect t-o the horizontal vaxis of said leaf, substantially as set forth.

5. In an electrically propelledvehicle, the combination with means providing an adi ustablc electrical connection between the vehicle and a stationary conductor; comprising a frame pivotcd to said vehicle; electrical contacts journalcd on said frame; a rock shaft; a lever arm on said rock shaft; whose free end is connected with said frame; and a hand lever arranged to rock said shaft, and

`accessible from said vehicle, substantially as seit forth.

6. In an electrically propelled vehicle, the combination with means providing an adjustable electrical connection between the vehicle and a stationary conductor;

comprising a frame pivoted to said vehicle;

electrical contacts journaled on said frame; a rock shaft; a lever arm on said rock shaft, whose free end `connected with said frame; a hand lever arranged to rock said shaft:

.and means arrangedto limit the-movement of said hand lever, substantially asset forth. 7, In an electrically propelled vehicle`th`c combination with means providing an adju's y able electrical connection between the vehicle and a stationary conductor; comprising/Tf a frame pivoted to said vehicle; electrical contacts journaled on said frame; a rock shaft; a lever arm on said rock shaft7 whose free end is connected with said frame; a

hand lever arranged to rock said shaft;

means arranged to limit thel movement of said hand lever; and means arranged to` engage said lever to maintain said contacts away from said stationary conductor, substantially as set forth.

8. In an electrically propelled vehicle, the combination with contact ldevices adapted to register with thc respective tracks; of a pair of parallel link levers pivotally connecting said contact devices with said vehicle, whereby said contact devices may be shifted transversely With respect to said vehicle, substantially as set forth.

9. -In an electrically propelled vehicle, the

.combination with contact devices :adapted to register with the, respective tracks; of a` pair of parallel link levers, having horizontal and vertical axes, pivotally connecting said contact devices. with said vehicle, whereby said contact devices may be shifted vertically and horizontally with respect to said vehicle, substantially as set forth.

10J In an electrically propelled vehicle, thefconibination with leaves supported by ico the vehicle to oscillate on horizontal axes parallel links pivoted to said leaves on vertical axes; a contact frame pivoted to said links on vertical axes; and contacts carried by'said frame in spaced relation corresponding with the op osed parallel tracks, substantially as set orth.

11. In an electrically propelled vehicle, means providing an adjustable electrical connection between the 'vehicle and a stationary conductor; comprising a trame pivoted to said vehicle and arranged for lateral movement with respect thereto; reversible elliptical electrical contacts pivoted on said frame in operative relation with said cond uctor; and, means carried by said vehicle and connected to withdraw said electrical contacts from said stationary conductor, substant-ially as set forth.

'l2 In an electrically propelled vehicle,

l.means providing an adjustable electrical connection between the vehicle and a stationary conductor; comprising independently reversible ellipticall electrical contacts carried by said vehicle in operative relation with .said conductor, substantially as set forth.

13. In an electricallyr propelled vehicle, means providing an adjustable electrical connection between the vehicle and a stationary conductor; comprising independently reversible elliptical electrical contacts i carried by said vehicle in operative relation with said conductor; and, means carried by said vehicle and connected to withdraw said electrical contacts from said stationaryr con ductor, substantially7 as set lorth.

14. In an electrically propelled vehicle, means providii'iggan arljustable electrical connection between the vehicle and a stationary conductor; comprisingr a frame; links coupled for parallel movement and pivotally connectingy said .frame with said vehicle; and, electrical contacts carried by said frame in operative relation with said conductor, substantially as set forth.

15. In an electrically propelled vehicle, means providing, an adjustable electrical connection between the vehicle and a stationary conductor; comprising a frame; links coupled for parallel movement and pivotally connecting,v saidfranie Awith said vehicle; electrical contacts carried by said' RUSSELL 'VIIAYIGlt Witnesses:

AMnaosE l". Few,

Josnrn R. Cotonou. 

